On
the walls are tablets to the memory of Sir Harry Lumsden; Major F.H.
Barton, the cheery, gallant sportsman who was killed at polo in 1902;
Major Gaikskill; A.W. Wilde, son of Sir Alfred; Hector MacLean; Quentin
and Fred Battye; Major G.H. Bretherton, who was drowned on the way to
Lhassa; Charlie Keyes, son of Sir Charles, treacherously killed in West
Africa, and many others. The churchyard is beautifully laid out with
many rare plants, flowers, and trees. There remains only, to finish up
with, the old cricket-ground, now used entirely for lawn-tennis,
badminton, and croquet; for cricket flourishes not in India at this day,
though doubtless a revival may come before many years, as is so often
the case with games.
The daily life at Mardan is much the same as in any other Indian
cantonment. In the early morning comes parade or manoeuvre, growing
painfully early as the brief hot weather creeps on. Stables follow for
the cavalry, and work in the lines for the infantry. Next comes
orderly-room for the adjutants and others; and twice a week _durbar_.
The durbar in an Indian regiment takes the place of the formal
orderly-room of a British regiment. It is held in the open, under the
trees, or at any convenient spot; and the underlying principle is that
any man in the regiment may be present to hear, and, when called upon,
to speak. It is a sort of open court, whereat not only are delinquents
brought up for judgment, but all matters connected with the welfare of
the men, and especially such as in any way touch their pockets or
privileges, are openly discussed.
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